This fabulous renovation earned our team at Dover the 2020 NARI Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award: Second Place, Kitchen: $60,001- $100,000. For the next 3 weeks, Dover designer and guest blogger Patti Saracusa will walk you through this award-winning home remodeling project which features an updated open-concept kitchen that seamlessly blends with the adjoining living spaces.
BLOG #1 of 3 IN A SERIES:
CotY Award Winner: Second Place, Kitchen: $60,001 – $100,000
The next-generation Italian family kitchen
Here in this beautiful home is where children were raised, and family memories were made. Fast forward nearly two decades and this couple found themselves as empty nesters in a home they truly loved—but one that was in need of a major refresh: When the kids and their families came home to visit, the cramped, dated kitchen no longer worked.
The kitchen before: 
While back in its day, this kitchen was on-trend, the older space had since lost its luster: The wood cabinets and floors made the space feel closed in. The planning desk was no longer used. Lack of workspace was a problem. And the fixtures needed a style reboot. 
The homeowners’ vision was a lighter, brighter modern kitchen with touches of old-world charm and character. Eager to carry on many of their family’s cultural traditions, we designed this kitchen to be the heart of their Italian home.
At the top of their list: They needed a central island that could comfortably accommodate their daily meals for two—but that could also expand for family to gather around to enjoy good food and wine.
The kitchen after:
Next week, I’ll move on to the focal point of the new kitchen: The central island with a unique custom built-in that’s a real crowd pleaser.
Patti Saracusa
